Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-06
rALMAGEAs A s4OHY IELLER.
How Reporter Mixed Up His Ser.
mon with a Political Interview.

How a Reporter Mixed Up His Ser
mon with a Political Interview.
NEW YORK, Feb. 5.-Dr. Talmage is 3
good story teller. He mas high regard
for the discreet men OF the profes sion and
plenty Of charity for those who are in
clined to be cornwall. He appreciates
good joke, no matter at whose expense II
NAV be, and he told me an amusing stor,
about his experience with a Philadelphia
reporter. Iasked permission to print it.
Mr.. TaImage said:
Twenty years ago I was young
preacher occupying a pulpit in Phiadel-
pba. One SUNDAY night, alter service, ]
was sltung in my study when there wa
a knock at the door. cried Come IN
aud reporter entered. That he had
heen drinking | could see at glance.
He was prnfusely and yerbosev polite
and apo Ogized for his presence first and
aiterward of his lateness. He wanted
my sermon, must have it, be SAID o.
would get into great trouble. | told him
| had no nOtes and be SAID | could easily
dictate it to him as be was rapid writer
| gave MIN seat at table and he
wrote at my dictatiOn. His pO,atiOns
must have been recent. for when he rOst
rom the table with column and IA hail
Of my sermon in notes he was much more
inJ0Xlca ed than when he came n. HIS
legs refused to perform their office with
any degree OF accuracy, ard so helned
him up. My study was in the rear of ;he
church and the only egress to the street
was BY means OF an alley between The
church and the schOOl-house. This ale,
was dark as pit Oh, and a. helped the re-
porter out said 10 him, BE careful now
pick your way, there's a pump in TIE
alley and you will TALL against it, Then
God in the doorway watchIn to see hin
ale Y out. He wandertd al ny I'M
steadily but safely and disappeared IN the
darkness. Soon bead a great cra~hns
ard epluttering, succeeded by swea inq
and fall. know it is a shame to langh
al drunken man, but | cOudnt help it.
| laughed so heartily that | could not
walk step for two or three minu'es
Then hastily got a lantern and went to
the rescue. | found the reporter twin Il
around the pump handle and engaged in
what looked like lie or death struggle
with il. he was using baq language
Leaves of notes were strewed all about
MIN, BY the light of the lantern W.
picked all the notes up, and then | started
my visitor out OF the gate and went back
TO my study. Next morning | looked in
the paper for my sermon. 1t started of
like This: DR.. Talmage preaching las
evening IN --~ church took for his tex
John XIV: ID and said: When | was
Governor OF PennsyIyania'-I can tell
you | stared when | saw that. | found
scraps of nv sermon mixed in with red
hot Remuneration o, prominent Pennsyl-
vania politicians, and advice 20 the Feo-
erai government aud the state autbori-
lies. l VAS aghast, and determined to
write TO the paper and complain. Look
ing a little further discovered what pur-
ported to be an interview with eX-GOv.
Pollock. Into that all the missing por-
tions of my sermon bad been put
Then the tail MAGNITUDE OF the joke
burst upon me-, and laughed till the tears
ran down my face. somehow he repor-
ter had managed to mix the interview
vita the sermon equal parts. / never
wrote to the paper, the thing was too
good TO complain nt" SYpNrY EFID